OTTAWA – The fourth edition of the Sustainable Construction Barometer shows despite economic and global tensions, and a housing crisis, a majority of Canadian industry stakeholders and citizens (68 per cent and 53 per cent respectively) still believe implementing more sustainable construction should be a priority.
There is a slight decrease among stakeholders compared to a year ago, which was at 70 per cent, but a boost for citizens by one per cent.
“While Canada wants to accelerate sustainable construction deployment, both industry actors and general population agree that to enable it, the top barriers to be tackled revolve around 1) making sustainable materials, products and solutions more competitive and 2) offering more visibility and transparency around actual performance of sustainable construction,” the report notes.
On par with the rest of the world, Canadians also believe architects and building engineers (59 per cent) and private companies (32 per cent) have legitimacy to advance sustainable construction. They differ when it comes to which is more likely to expect more actions and accountability from their elected officials and government – 48 per cent in Canada compared to 30 per cent globally.
Developed by the Sustainable Construction Observatory, which was launched in 2023, the fourth edition explores the state of sustainable construction around the globe and provides a unique perspective on where Canada stands.
“More than ever, the Sustainable Construction Barometer pulse is an important indicator that building more resiliently and sustainably is a top priority for the betterment of our daily lives. Canadians’ message is clear, there is one way, forward, and they expect more out of their built environment,” shares Jean-Claude Lasserre, CEO of Saint-Gobain Canada, in a statement. “As industry actors we have an active role to play, to accelerate collaboration between stakeholders, private and public, in order to deliver high-performing sustainable construction solutions at scale for the benefits of all Canadians.”
Here are some highlights from the findings:
- 64 per cent of industry stakeholders in Canada have heard about sustainable construction and know exactly what it is about, on par with the worldwide results (67 per cent).
- There is a lack of understanding in the general population. Only 22 per cent know exactly what sustainable construction is about versus 39 per cent globally.
- A higher proportion of Canadian stakeholders associate the following with sustainable construction compared to global respondents:
- Building energy efficiency at 85 per cent (63 per cent worldwide).
- Reusing materials at 78 per cent (59 per cent globally).
- Using renewable or carbon-free energies at 78 per cent in Canada (62 per cent globally).
Looking at the state of sustainable construction in Canada, the barometer noted both stakeholders and citizens believe implementing more sustainable construction solutions is a priority or important (94 per cent and 93 per cent respectively) and there is a general consensus that more work is needed in this field.
The top actions that need to be put in place to accelerate the development of sustainable construction are as follows:
Stakeholders
- Make sustainable materials, products and solutions more competitive (35 per cent).
- Raise public awareness of the challenges of sustainable construction (35 per cent)
- Raise awareness among all stakeholders and strengthen their collaboration (34 per cent).
- Make the sustainable performance of construction more visible and transparent (29 per cent).
Canadians (general population)
- Make sustainable material, products and solutions more competitive (37 per cent).
- Make the sustainable performance of constructions more visible and transparent (28 per cent).
- Prioritize the use of bio-materials over conventional materials (27 per cent).
